Is being a conservative someone who wants small government or big government? It’s interesting to me that those who are currently labeling themselves as conservatives want more policing, more laws, and fewer freedoms.

What’s the definition of being on the “right” versus the “left” in politics and how is it useful today besides to confuse an issue? I’d say I’m very, very far right wing when it comes to social issues. I want 0 government involvement in private life and 0 freedoms curtailed from people except where others are harmed. Somehow, under modern definitions of “conservative” this means that I am a liberal.

At what point did fighting for civil liberties and freedom become a liberal issue? Wasn’t this an American issue since the founding of our country? Why has commerce become the only thing to be protected from government?

I feel like we’re rapidly approaching a point that seems unrecognizable to me as a nation. An easy thought experiment is with something like the EPA.

If a company decides to start dumping nuclear waste onto a property that borders yours, should that be illegal? I’m starting to think that some politicians would respond “obviously not, if that company owns the land they may do as they please.”

I’m starting to really despise labels as I try to discuss things with people. They create a point of view that is black and white. It leads to uninteresting and closed minded conversations. The exact opposite of a binary label is a full discussion. You end up with something like this article talking about Mike Pence’s history and policies from the Intercept. It’s more than almost anyone is willing to parse.

I’m going to try to focus on freedom as a conversation piece and see how far that gets me for a while. I want to explain everything through the lens of a small federal and state government. Freedom is a very large part of that.